PULLMAN – In the days leading up to Washington State’s fifth day of fall camp, Max Baloun heard rumors about a live session on the horizon, an opportunity to unleash their physical tools and tackle quarterbacks in earnest.
Then in one team meeting, head coach Jimmy Rogers let the news slip, leading defensive linemen like Baloun to lick their chops: No longer would they beat their matchup on the offensive line and storm toward the quarterback, only to run by him and record a simulated sack to prevent injuries. On the first day of full pads, they could tackle quarterbacks.
“I mean, it’s definitely on my mind,” Baloun said. “I wouldn’t say it’s at the front. Like I said earlier, you can’t really let it change your mindset. You just gotta go and do the same thing. The only difference is you just have to finish plays now.”
In the final team period of WSU’s Monday practice, Baloun and the Cougs’ defensive line did that and more. In one sequence, redshirt freshman defensive Ben Beatty crashed in off the edge and hammered transfer quarterback Julian Dugger, who had traded his usual black no-contact jersey for a live crimson one. On another play, Dugger eluded pressure and scampered upfield, where he used a bruising block from running back Leo Pulalasi, whose services freed up Dugger to glide into the end zone.
Five days in, that might have been the highlight of WSU’s fall camp, a compelling display of athleticism from Dugger, one of four quarterbacks vying for starting duties. As he sensed pressure, he moved to his right, where he encountered redshirt freshman defensive end Fernando Lecuona. So Dugger slammed on the brakes, which sent Lecuona to the ground, opening up a lane of green grass.
But the opportunity for WSU defenders to bring quarterbacks down amounted to a remarkable…
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Publish date : 2025-08-05 02:03:00
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